Workers are not entitled to paid sick leave just because they “can't stand their employer”, said Sir Charlie Mayfield, a comment that lit a fire. Independent readers.
The former John Lewis boss, who is now leading the government's review of Britain's growing health crisis, argued that both staff and managers must take “responsibility”. But our community was quick to point out that burnout doesn't happen in a vacuum.
Commenters flooded in with stories about the real forces driving people out of work: bullying bosses, toxic cultures, impossible workloads and managers who treat staff as disposable.
Many said their most productive years were spent under leaders who supported and respected them, and that their health plummeted only when new management arrived with shouting, intimidation, or outright indifference.
Others focused attention on low-paid sectors such as care work, where people endure long hours, unpaid travel and relentless emotional labor with barely a break. They said it's no wonder workers are exhausted when basic protections, fair wages and humane treatment are lacking.
Readers agreed on one thing: Britain's workplace illness crisis is not because people “don't like their boss” but because of the damage inflicted by bad bosses and broken systems.
This is what you had to say:
Which management system is most effective for productivity?
I always went above and beyond – being the most productive, being willing to work overtime without pay, etc. – because the relationship I had with my boss Fred was one of mutual respect. Fred, who had worked at the company we worked for since we left school and was two years away from retirement, ran the finance department like clockwork because his staff were motivated to work hard for him.
An American company took control with its “spank and scare staff into working harder” mentality. Fred was “released” and humiliatingly escorted out of the building. Heartbroken, I left in solidarity. I still have the moving letter he wrote to acknowledge my loyalty and the service he had always provided.
When I changed jobs, an absolutely monstrous boss regularly yelled at staff (without ever being challenged despite being on a floor of around 200 workers and other bosses). He once emptied a colleague's trash can on his desk while yelling in his face.
My health deteriorated rapidly and literally every day I got on the elevator my nose started pumping blood. My father, who had a very strong work ethic, literally “walked” me on the train to work for an entire week despite my eventual protests. It must have seemed like he had kidnapped me while we were traveling without speaking on the train: me with tears streaming down my face.
Finally, I entered my workplace and when I lost sight of him, I left again. My GP put me on sick leave for six weeks. Other than when I had surgery, I have never had long periods of illness.
I provide basic service now. I have never worked as hard as I did for Fred. So I ask: which management system is most effective for productivity?
white
Management is a skill, not a profession.
I'm sure most workers have had their fair share of horrible bosses. I certainly did: the worst were those who were prejudiced against people with more qualifications than them; I think they felt threatened. It's because management is a skill, not a profession.
Most of it wasn't a problem and some I got along very well with. They had interpersonal skills and were just trying to do a job as best they could like everyone else. You can suck it up and get on with the job, confront them (in which case you risk getting fired), or just quietly quit and get another job.
free life
Adequate pay and adequate breaks
A friend of mine works in the mobile care industry. You get in your own car, drive to your first “client,” and spend 20 minutes, where you get paid basic pay, cleaning cigarette butts, changing pads, washing dishes, microwaving, cleaning dishes, feeding pets, and all sorts of other things. She receives racist abuse.
He gets into his car and heads to the next “customer.” They don't pay you for that time. She repeats this for about 17 “clients.” You will work more than eight hours without paid breaks of any kind and will receive minimum wage for about five and a half hours.
This is in all climates, in all neighborhoods, in the dark, sometimes visiting alone. She and people like her save the country literally billions by keeping elderly and disabled people out of state-funded nursing homes and living in their own homes near family and friends.
You'd be better off stacking shelves, flipping beef patties, or putting on your shoes. But she stays with the care work.
He works for a private company that presumably makes good profits. British management should get down on its knees and thank God that there are workers in the UK who are willing to do this, and spend less time criticizing those who are killing themselves doing it for them.
If there is someone in the government who still reads newspapers, perhaps these people could be identified and paid appropriately and literally given a break or two. They would be less likely to get sick, burn out, or leave the workforce entirely due to a crisis. And if they were paid better, they would, by definition, be more productive.
lolapaloozabmi
Employers see us as disposable
If you have a health problem at work, the job may dismiss you as no longer fit for purpose rather than trying to adapt to your new circumstances.
So when I had an illness (permanent, as it turns out) that forced me to take intense medications that slowed me down, instead of reducing my hours or making any accommodations, they fired me.
This crushed me mentally (it was hard enough being so sick) and left me out of the work world for a year.
Workplaces should be forced to make accommodations to keep workers functioning instead of seeing us as disposable as a horse. It is a team effort and employers are completely free of liability.
TheaterFan
Go after the homeless
In reality, “I hate my boss” is often a sign of stress and burnout, which absolutely qualifies for sick leave and a required break from work to reset. It can cause harm if left untreated.
A person who actually works and needs sick time for that kind of thing is not the problem… the problem is the guys who never work, never intend to work, are capable of working but take advantage of things like ADHD to try to claim benefits and PIP to not work, when many of us with conditions like that, and worse variants, still go to work.
Even though people with milder or misdiagnosed versions use it to rest and never work, that's what you need to target: not actual legitimate workers who are burned out. Go after the freeloaders, not the burnt-out workers.
senpai
too late for me
I am registered as disabled and as such I am part of this army of slackers and dodgers (insert insult). But when my health began to deteriorate, not only was there no restorative treatment available since 2010, but the only treatment offered was increasingly stronger painkillers.
While I am not severely disabled (among other things, I walk as if I were in a nightclub), there are many thousands like me who would love to work, if only to escape extreme poverty and have a little self-esteem.
But treatments that help are not offered, and for that we are blamed.
For me it is too late, although for many others I am sure that with the help they have been denied for so long, they could at least have a chance to have some quality of life and even pay some taxes.
TomSnout
In 41 years, I have seen managers go unpunished
Not liking your boss may not be a valid reason for sickness absence, but the reasons for it quite often are.
In 41 years with my employer, I have had to involve the union after problems with three different managers. One of these cases forced me to take long-term sick leave.
Aside from any informal, off-the-record counseling they may have received, none of them received any official sanctions or warnings; all of them were the subject of further complaints from other staff members.
CyclingBoomer
Are you surprised we have a problem?
I remember that years ago there were work teams, emergency services teams, armed forces teams that practiced all kinds of sports with very good facilities, as well as social activities, etc.
They realized that having a healthy workforce would maintain their profits. Then the accountants intervened and little by little all the facilities were sold for housing, as were many facilities managed by the city council.
Add to that the bad economy where people are struggling to pay the bills and need to work two or three jobs to stay afloat, coupled with completely unpleasant people running things, is it any wonder we have a problem?
Listen very carefully
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